Game for use in connection with a pattern forming cord



M. RADT GAME FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A PATTERN FORMING CORD FiledMarch 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vow INVENTOR: MARTIN RADT, W 14! H/SAGENTS.

Dec. 27. 1955 M. RADT 2,728,149

GAME FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A PATTERN FORMING CORD Filed March 27,1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: MARTIN RADT,

United States Patent- GAME FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A PATTERN FORMINGCORD This invention relates to an educational game.

In combination with its amusing, interesting and practicallyinexhaustible playing capacity the invention has the great merit toteach the user and particularly children how to accurately add andsubtract figures.

Another intriguing property of the invention consists therein that themanipulation of the game is of a selfcorrecting type.

A further feature of the invention is based upon the wide range ofvarying the playing mode of the game.

The invention will now be described more in detail and with reference tothe attached drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of the game,

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof,

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are top diagrammatic views of starshaped picturesproduceable by playing the game.

As apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 the game comprises a 7 flat andpreferably quadrangular base a, which may be preferably made of wood orplastics.

Pins b of which the number conforms to a prime number, for instance to11, are circularly stationed on the base a. The pins are denoted bynumbers 1-11 and, at the same time, 12-22, see Fig. 1, and so forth andmay preferably have an equal distance from each other.

In playing the game a preferably elastic cord c is used, which isprovided with a small loop d at its one end. This cord may preferably bewound on a spool e in order to eliminate its being tangled up during theplaying of the game. It is advisable to use a spool having an insidespring which will automatically retract the cord during the time it isnot used.

The cord 0 is with its loop d applied to one of the pins located on thebase, for instance, pin 1.

In order to create a star-shaped picture the cord 0 is conducted frompin 1 to another pin located, for instance, on the opposite side of thecircular pin arrangement, such as number 5, as apparent from Fig. 3. Thedifference between any two numbered pins between which the cord extendswill be denoted as a step. Since in the given example the difference inthe numbers between pin 1 and pin 5 is 4, the step is here 4. In thegiven example the step is kept constant so that the cord is successivelyconducted over the pins 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, l0, 3, 7, 11, 4, 8, l. Thestarting pin, 1, is reached again and a star-shaped picture is thuscompleted as shown in Fig. 2.

It is advisable to apply different colors to the base and to the cordwhereby the attractiveness of the produced star is increased.

The number 11 is, by way of example, chosen for the number of the pins,however any other prime number may be used for this purpose.

The pins b may be replaced by hooks, pegs, nails, screws or othersuitable upright means adapted to removably hold the cord 0.

The game is, as already indicated above, based on the condition that thenumber of the pins must be a prime number such as 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 23,37, and so forth.

2,728,149 Patented Dec. 2'7, 1955 The distance between the pins overwhich the cord is conducted will be, as stated above, denoted as a step.This step equals in the case of Fig. 1 the distance between the pins 1and 5, that means 4. It might be maintained in passing from'one toanother pin, for instance, in the shown example from pin 1 to 5, frompin 5 to 9, from pin 9 to 13 which is also pin 2, and thereafter to pins6, l0, 3, 7, 11, 4, 8, 'finally returning to pin 1. In this case thestar shown in Fig. 3 is completed with the result that each pin was onlyonce touched by the cord 0. However, the playing of the game is notconditioned on the maintenance of equal steps.

It is interesting to note that the steps may comprise any pin distanceexcept the one corresponding to the entire number of the pins which inthe case of the shown example would be eleven. The child playing thegame will always return to pin 1 after once having passed the other pinsif starting from pin 1 and using equal steps.

A mathematical proof for the described procedure is, as follows.

A prime number N cannot be divided by any other number than by itselfand by 1. If the selected step is equal to A, N divided by A" does notlead to an integer and hence the cord will not return to the startingpin after a single circuit.

Only if the constant step A is made N times so that the total number ofbypassed pins is A times N will this number, A times N, be divisible byA and after N steps the cord return to the starting pin. The cord hascompleted a number of circuits equal to A and each one of the pins hasbeen contacted by the cord once and only once. On the basis of thisalgebraic principle the use of the game may be considerably enlarged, asfollows.

(a) The start from pin 1 is not compulsory and the player may start fromany pin he wishes to select.

(b) It is not necessary to lead the cord in the clockwise directionwhich means practicing addition; the game may also be used in acounter-clockwise manner and the cord may be conducted, for instance,from pin 9 to 6, hereafter to 3 and so on, which would enable thepracticing of subtraction.

(c) The use of the game is not restricted to one definite step A. It ispossible to use two different steps A and B. In conformity therewith therule of using the game may, for instance, be first a step equal to twoand thereafter a step equal to five. The pins will be contacted, in thisexample, in the order 1, 3, 8, 10, 4, 6, 11, 2, 7, 9, 3, 5, 10, 1, 6, 8,2, 4, 9, ll, 5, 7, 1. A star is thereby created as shown in Fig. 4,which has a different coufiguration from the one shown in Fig. 3. Themain difference consists therein that each pin has been twice engaged.The beauty of the star is thus greatly increased. Just as well asforward the two steps could be taken backward, or one step forward, forinstance, two pins, and one backward, for instance, five' pins or viceversa.

(d) It is also possible to use 3 or more steps for instance the threesteps 2, 3, 5. Hereby each pin will be touched three or more times.Again any number of steps may be forward or backward, for instance,using three steps: 4 forward, 2 backward and again 2 forward; or, forinstance, 5 forward, 3 backward and 1 forward.

This procedure will lead to a large number of different configurations.The only rule, however, which must be obeyed is that the sum of thesteps must not amount to the number of pins, in the present example notto 11; for instance, steps 2, 3, 6 cannot be used in a forward sequencefor 11 pins, as apparent from the figures.

Such an enlarged play rule may, however, be used only by older childrenor even by adults as it makes the playing of the game more difiicult butat the same time more exciting and causes a better entertainment due toits ex tremely large number of variations.

Older children. may devise any additional number of playing rules. Withyounger children, however, the execution of always one constant forwardor backward step is preferable.

Beautiful stars may alsobe attained particularly by younger children, asfollows.

After one star is completed by the application of the one step methodthe cord is left in its position and another star is formed with adifferent step and produced on top of the first star. Fig. 5 shows thismanner of playing the game bythe execution of first constant step 1 andthen constant step 5. Hereafter further stars with different stepsmay beadded, whereby alarge variety of stars maybe produced greatly increasingthe beauty of the figures.

The check for a correct addition or subtraction can be automaticallyestablished.

(1) By the fact that after return to the starting pin all other pinsmust'have been engaged once in the use of a single-step method orseveral times if the above referred-to combination stepmethod is used;it is necessary that all pins are engaged an equal number of times.

(2) By the symmetrical shape of the formed star which isapparent onsight.

Since certain changes may bemade inthe above device and differentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a=limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A. game for use in connection with a pattern-forming cord comprisinga. base, and a plurality of uniformly spaced cord guiding membersarranged in a circle upon said baseand being denoted by sequentialnumbers ap an always equal number of intermediary guiding membersuntil'contact hasbeen made with all of them, whereby star-shaped figuresareformed by said cord.

2. in amusement device for use in connection with forming a pattern bymeans of a string, in combination, a base, a plurality ofstring-guiding,members, said members being arranged along the peripheryof a circle on said base and each being spaced from the adjoining twomembars, the number of members being a prime number, so that a stringwound about said members starting in contact with one member andconducted around the other members in'a uniformly repetitive pattern ofsteps which omits thesame selected number of pins in each correspondingstep of the pattern will produce a symmetrical figure and contact allpins an equal multiple number of times.

References Cited in the-file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS501,675 Collins July 18, 1893 630,217 Hanstein Aug. 1, 1899 2,529,413Petersen Nov. 7, 1950 2,611,193 Davis Sept. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS13925 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1899 354,233: Germany June 6, 1922

